Companion diagnostic for cancer: Thermo Fisher Scientific and Janssen team up to co-develop
Global life sciences company, Thermo Fisher Scientific (MA, USA) have entered an agreement with Janssen Biotech (PA, USA), a Janssen pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson (NJ, USA). The new agreement will see the companies co-develop a companion diagnostic for cancer, designed to support global clinical trial enrolment.
According to the agreement, scientists from Janssen Research & Development, LLC (NJ, USA) will collaborate with Thermo Fisher Scientific to validate multiple biomarkers for use with the Thermo Fisher Oncomine Dx Target Test. The Ocomine Dx Target Test is a targeted next-generation sequencing in vitro diagnostic test. The test is capable of analyzing key biomarkers and kinase inhibitors, with a low tissue input requirement and a 4-day laboratory workflow.
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Under the terms of the agreement, scientists will develop and utilize a companion diagnostic test to identify variant-positive patients that can be enrolled in non-small cell lung cancer-focused clinical trials. The agreement also outlines that further indications in oncology may follow.
Peter Silvester, Senior Vice President and President of Life Sciences Solutions (Thermo Fisher Scientific) explained: “The ability of the Oncomine Dx Target Test to rapidly detect variants of interest from very small quantities of DNA or RNA samples makes this technology ideally suited to support development programs requiring a next-generation sequencing-based workflow that delivers actionable insights consistently. We are confident that this approach to patient stratification helps expedite drug development initiatives which ultimately are designed to promote better health outcomes through targeted therapies.”
